His Doctorship has been despatching a boxful of ancient raiment—and I seized the opportunity of sending in it the shawl,1 and also the workbox I promised you, so you will look to your own when the unpacking takes place— I was told at night that
the thing must be off next morning so that I had no time either to get the shawl washed (tho much in need of it) or to make
certain ammendments in the workbox which would have added considerably to its favourable effect— For one thing; three of the
little corner-claws were come off and without going to town on purpose I could get no nails sufficiently small to nail them on—so there was nothing
for it but to put them into one of the little barrels, trusting that Alick or some other of your amateur mechanical geniuses would take the trouble to fix them for you—

We continue to have the finest growing weather that ever was seen, if it do not dry up before long we may look to all dying of green mould—

My Mother writes me that her maid left on Monday last to be married after all2— I am glad the thing is finished off in any way, for the state of uncerta[in]ty3 she has kept my Mother in these many months back was getting perfectly unendurable—a very pretty promising young woman4 is come in her place and I hope there will now be peace at Templand for a time at least

Our neighbours nex5 Door have brought back with them from their summer's excursion a live cock and hen!— and the cock within these few days has been unfolding a rare faculty for crowing— God send it a speed[y]6 end—or I should not wonder if it force us to flit—you know our odd ways!— God bless you affectionately yours

JWC-IC, [24? Nov.]. MS: NLS Acc. 7988. Hitherto unpbd. Dated by the sending of John Carlyle's box of clothes (para. 1) ca. a week before TC to MAC, 3 Dec., where John “was about sending off a Box of old garments.”

2. This is apparently the marriage between Mary and “her farmer,” Charles, that TC thought took place in Dec. 1840; see TC to JAC, 3 Dec. 1840. “Old Mary,” Mary Mills, is a different servant, this Mary possibly surnamed Millegan; her Charles may be Charles M'Kie,
apparently tenant of the land attached to Templand (see TC to JWC, 10 March 1842). TC confirms, in TC to MAC, 17 Dec., that the marriage had taken place.